Together at Last
by MALar
Summary: John and Aeryn are finally together, after a fashion


Together at Last   
MALar (malar_cs@yahoo.com)   
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Henson and various other people own everything.   
Spoilers: Vague spoilers up to Fractures   
Rating: PG   
Summary: John and Aeryn are finally together, after a fashion   
Feedback: Please   
Acknowledgement: Thanks to Shipscat for reading this first   
  
Notes: This is a little different. If you like this (and even if you don't), I have a few other stories archived here. The others are a little more conventional :)   
  
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It was a spaceport much like any other in the Uncharted Territories, maybe a little more bleak than most. Traffic here was light. There were no more than 2 or 3 inbound ships a weeken, and those rarely stayed longer than necessary to offload their cargo. There was nothing here to hold the attention of their crews.   
  
That was why he had chosen this place. He could no longer tolerate crowds, and he could not risk anything that might push him over the edge. It hardly mattered now, but his sanity was all he had left. Some small part of him, what remained of the man he was, refused to let go. And of course, there was Aeryn. He couldn't let her down.   
  
The others had all left him, each in their own time and way. He knew he deserved no more, and probably a lot less. He held no grudges there. He walked through the dusty streets of the small town with his few meager possessions, a bag containing a few personal items, Wynona strapped as always to his thigh, and the box, three hand lengths on each side. From what barely passed for an open-air market, he saw a crude sign indicating lodgings.   
  
Inside, he was greeted by a petite blonde woman of perhaps 25 cycles. At first glance, she reminded him a little of Gilina, but this was a face even more innocent than the Tech's. She smiled at him, and reflexively he smiled back. Her face lit up in a way that would win him no points with Aeryn, and he assumed a more neutral bearing.   
  
"We'd like a room."   
  
She looked confused for some reason, but let whatever was bothering her pass.   
  
"Certainly, sir. We don't get many visitors here, certainly not Peacekeepers."   
  
"Don't let the clothes fool you. I'm not a Peacekeeper."   
  
"Well, the uniform still suits you. Will your companion be joining you soon?"   
  
Her tone was one of hesitant, inexperienced flirtation. He ignored it. Aeryn didn't like it when he encouraged this sort of thing. She was becoming more and more possessive these days, not that he really minded.   
  
"The room?" he asked a little coldly.   
  
She looked wounded and said, "Of course, sir." Reaching for the box, she continued, "Why don't I take this for you?"   
  
In an instant, Wynona was out and pointed squarely at her head. His face became impassive, but his mind was working at fever pitch now.   
  
She looked harmless enough, but that meant nothing. Was she a threat? Why not kill her? It would be so easy. But then .... Was this wrong? Would it push him further than he dared go? Best not to take chances. Best to wait until after he had time to think things through tonight. Night always brought clarity. One way or the other, he would deal with her in the morning.   
  
He reholstered his weapon. "Room. Now."   
  
She nodded mutely, fear apparently the only thing keeping her upright. Grabbing a key, she quickly led him to the nearest room and ran as soon as he was inside. John smiled at that. It was really quite comical.   
  
The room wasn't much. There was a bed, a nightstand, and a small adjoining bathroom. He carefully put the box on the nightstand and stepped into the bathroom to wash up. It would be dusk soon, and he was eager to be with Aeryn again.   
  
Things had been difficult after her return from Talyn and the other John, but in time, she had accepted him again. If anything, their mission to deprive Scorpius of the wormhole technology had helped to bridge the gap between them. Shared danger and mutual concern went a long way to counteract her fears and uncertainty.   
  
And then he had been captured along with Chiana. He didn't remember much. There was the Aurora chair, of course, and some other things that were sometimes difficult to remember and sometimes startlingly clear. Aeryn had come for him, had rescued him and had nursed him back to health. By then, all the walls between them had been torn down. She told him that she loved him, that she would not let the memory of the other John come between them.   
  
He had been happy for a time, but then the others started to leave him.   
  
Rygel had accused him of not paying attention during his watch. He still resented that. There was no way they could have avoided the Peacekeepers that time. He was not responsible. Jool and Rygel had died during their escape from Moya soon after. The others were already on Talyn, and the three of them had been heading for a transport pod when they were hit. He had thought about trying to get them out, but Rygel was wounded and Jool insisted on staying and trying to help him. He had insisted that it was hopeless and had pleaded with her to come with him, but she had been selfish as usual, so he left them.   
  
After Moya's death, Talyn became their home. And with Talyn came Crais. John could see how he looked at Aeryn. He was of her species and her former commander. There was danger there. He wouldn't risk losing her again. When the opportunity arose to react a little slower than usual, he took it, and Crais was no longer a threat. It wasn't as if he had done anything wrong. He just refused to risk himself unnecessarily. Then D'Argo had begun to question his decisions. He had never really trusted the Luxan anyway. Leaving him behind at Karesh had been a reasonable decision. He couldn't risk himself and Aeryn just to rescue a traitor.   
  
For a time, he was alone with Aeryn and everything had been perfect.   
  
John glanced out the window and noticed that the local sun was setting. It was time. He knelt before the nightstand and reverently unlatched the front plate of the box and lowered it. There, looking back at him was the love of his life, as beautiful now as on the day he had first met her. She smiled at him as she always did, and he leaned forward and kissed her gently. This was how it had always been meant to be, the two of them together forever.   
  
It still amazed him that he hadn't thought of this earlier. During their time alone on Talyn, Aeryn had been nothing but loving and supportive, but he knew that wouldn't last. Something told him that she would eventually blame him for the loss of the others. It made no sense when he thought about it logically, but he still knew it was true. He worried constantly, and she began to notice and worry for him. He knew that concern would soon turn to suspicion and betrayal. He wouldn't allow it. He couldn't lose her again. So he made a decision and waited for the perfect moment. It came not more than a weeken later.   
  
John had walked into Talyn's galley when Aeryn turned to him and smiled. It was a perfect smile, a smile that needed to be frozen in time. Now he would always have that smile.   
  
He crawled into bed and turned the box so that Aeryn could watch over him as he slept soundly. She always insisted on protecting him at night, and he always felt safe. It was only during the day that he was uncertain, when there was the nagging feeling that something was wrong. At night, he was with Aeryn and everything was perfect. There was no more uncertainty. No more doubt. He would never again be without her love.   
  
Tomorrow, he would deal with the girl. They would have to leave after that. That was no problem. They had already been through this sort of thing many times.   
  
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Obligatory post-fic song lyrics:   
  
I hold your hand in mine, dear   
I press it to my lips   
I take a healthy bite   
From your dainty fingertips   
  
My joy would be complete, dear   
If you were only here   
But still I keep your hand   
As a precious souvenir   
  
The night you died I cut it off   
I really don't know why   
For now each time I kiss it   
I get blood stains on my tie   
  
I'm sorry now I killed you   
For our love was something fine   
And 'til they come to get me   
I shall hold your hand in mine   
  
---   
  
"I Hold Your Hand In Mine" by Tom Lehrer 


End file.
